Conventional hand carried cases such as briefcases, rigid camera cases and other utility cases are designed primarily to allow equipment, papers, etc. to be stored and carried. Attempts have been made to add additional utility to these cases by incorporating foldable legs and tops. However, in most cases, the additional implements required to increase the utility are cumbersome, reduce the carrying capacity and are not authentically designed.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor Date Issued ______________________________________ 4,412,604 Bell, et al Nov. 1, 1983 4,034,518 Trecker July 12, 1977 2,522,322 Wallace Sept. 12, 1950 1,211,829 Eades Jan. 9, 1917 873,855 Goldin Dec. 17, 1907 Bundesrepbublik Deutschland 815,225 Peter Reimitz, Oct. 1, 1951 Wetzlar/Lahn ______________________________________
Bell teaches a combination luggage case and stand with an extension. The case has an openable top with a hinged cover and foldable legs. This folding structure includes a fork shaped support used as a table, and a second position raising the nose to be horizontal, forming an extension table.
Trecker discloses a portable cot and table that folds into a carrying case. Extensions are added to lengthen the structure, and hhe legs are added to the center bottom of the structure. The corner legs are hinged and swing into the case when not in use. All six legs are extensible to raise the height of the flat horizontal surface to enable the unit to be used as a table.
Wallace utilizes a biforcated leg structure optionally supporting luggage sections in a horizontal position. The legs are removable and longitudinally adjusted by nesting together with sockets extending into the container without being in communication with the interior thereof. The legs may be used in triplicate in one of the two alternate positions, serving as a flat topped table with the container closed. A fourth leg is added when the container is opened flat.
Eades employs four supporting legs to impart the requisite sustenance to a suitcase to be converted into a table. The legs are hinged from beneath and embody two telescoping connecting sections, the upper being hollow having threaded therethrough a clamping screw coacting with a second section which provides the predetermined relative adjustment. The case is characterized by three pivotally connected units adapted to be folded into superimposed relation.
Goldin practices a dressing case, or valise, convertable to form a table to be used in railway compartments, and the like. The case is provided with four collapsible legs formed of lengths of tube made to slide one within the other, the inner one being provided with a slot, or groove, in which a stud, or pin, slides. The lower end of the slot being formed into a helical shape permitting the legs to be twisted reducing the width of the gap while increasing the friction, allowing the leg to stand by itself. The legs are stored withnn the case when telescoped together with only silver plated disks visible from the exterior, shaped so as to facilitate easy withdrawal and fixing.
The German patent issued to Reimitz teaches a briefcase, with crossed telescoping legs that are held in place by a detent pin when extended into a hole in the leg. The legs are in "U" shape and pivotally attached with separable brackets. In order for the detent pins to line-up with the hole in the "U" shaped leg, a groove is placed in the extended leg and corresponds with an operative on the bracket.